From abandoned train tracks to old passages, these 10 spine-chilling tunnels around the world are said to be haunted by ghosts, spirits, and other paranormal entities.
There’s something inherently eerie about the haunted tunnels – the darkness, the confined space, and the sense of being cut off from the outside world can all combine to create an unsettling atmosphere.
But when you add a history of tragedy, mystery, and unexplained phenomena, some tunnels can take on a truly terrifying haunted aura.
Let’s look at the top 10 most haunted tunnels in the world, exploring their history, the stories surrounding them, and the eerie experiences reported by those who have dared to venture inside.
10. Casablanca Tunnel, Indonesia
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This is one of the most reported haunted tunnels, and it has become famous among the locals in Indonesia. It is said that the area was a mass grave before the tunnel was built over it, and now the dead seem to haunt it.
Many people who pass through the tunnel say they have strange experiences, like seeing a woman dressed in white. It is said she was killed there, and now she roams the place waving at random people passing by.
It’s said that during a full moon, you can see a man who was hanged near the entrance, and if you are driving through the tunnel you should be on full alert, or stranger things may happen.
9. Church Hill Tunnel, Virginia
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The Church Hill railway tunnel in Richmond, Virginia is known to be haunted by a vampire, along with other ghosts. Built in 1873 and reopened in the 1920s, the tunnel collapsed in 1925, killing several workers.
The locomotive and bodies were never fully recovered, and the tunnel was filled with sand and blocked off. Locals have reported hearing eerie sounds, including voices and locomotive wheels.
Legend has it that the Richmond Vampire, who lived in a nearby cemetery, feasted on the workers’ blood. However, his crypt has since been locked, and the bodies inside have been removed.
Some speculate that the noises may not be from ghosts, but from immortal vampires who may have turned some of the trapped workers.
8. Shanghai Tunnels, Oregon
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In Portland, Oregon, a practice known as Shanghaied involved kidnapping men and women and forcing them to work on ships or as prostitutes.
The underground tunnel system beneath Portland’s Old Town is rumored to have been used to transport and hold the victims, making it a popular destination for ghost hunters.
However, visitors have reported seeing a woman in a white dress and hearing whispers to “get out” or “stay.” Tour guides share stories of sounds and apparitions, including a 9-year-old boy named Joshua who used to empty chamber pots for money.
While the guides may dramatize their reports, the tunnels’ curator, Michael P. Jones, has a haunting presence that can make even local TV news presenters feel unnerved.
7. Gold Camp Road Tunnels, Colorado
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Gold Camp Road is a scenic 56-kilometer route through the wilderness of central Colorado that boasts three tunnels creatively named “one,” “two,” and “three.”
According to local legend, a school bus full of children was crushed by the collapse of tunnel three in 1987, resulting in the deaths of all on board.
Visitors to the first two tunnels report hearing the laughter of children, while screams and mysterious handprints on car windows are said to emanate from the entrance of the third tunnel.
Despite videos online purporting to prove the paranormal occurrences, there is no evidence of the bus incident occurring in news reports. However, the tunnels were once used for railways, and there are also stories of ghostly rail workers haunting the area.
6. Victoria Park, Australia
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Australia’s indigenous ghosts are said to be venomous and carry their young in pouches where they suck ectoplasm from a teat. Unfortunately, these native spirits have been replaced in many areas by European settlers.
One such ghost is a floating nun who reportedly resides in a railway underpass in Brisbane’s Victoria Park. The most interesting aspect of this tale, however, is not the ghost herself, but the reaction of the local people.
Although the ghost was first seen in 1903 and again in 1932, it was a sighting in 1965 that had the greatest impact. After four sightings in ten days, word of the ghost spread quickly among locals.
On one night, around 5,000 people flocked to the area, causing police to close a nearby road due to the crowds. At 10 pm, approximately 1,500 people were packed into the tunnel, staring at the walls and waiting for the ghost to make an appearance.
5. The Blue Ghost Tunnel, Canada
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A paranormal investigator stumbled upon the Merritton Tunnel, a longer rail tunnel in Thorold, and reported seeing a blue mist.
The tunnel’s reputation quickly surpassed the more famous Screaming Tunnel and is often cited as one of Canada’s most haunted places.
The ghosts reportedly belong to two rail engineers who died in a 1903 collision, with one becoming mangled in the boiler and the other suffering burns on 90% of his body.
The tunnel was later bricked up due to its popularity and potential safety concerns. Today, one of the paranormal groups that popularized the tunnel recommends avoiding it at night due to the possibility of encountering unruly people instead of ghosts.
4. Big Bull Tunnel, Virginia
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Big Bull Tunnel, located in Virginia, is a longer rail tunnel compared to its shorter cousin, Little Bull Tunnel. Two workers died in the tunnel: one was scalped in 1901, and the other fell off a train in 1904.
Local legends claim that the tunnel is haunted, and these claims gained prominence in 1905 when a freight train broke down outside the entrance. One of the trainmen tried to run through the tunnel to put warning flags on the other side but returned pale and shaken.
The three men heard groans and screams of pain from the walls, and when they asked what was going on, a voice replied, “Remove that awful weight from my body,” followed by another voice saying, “They are drinking my blood.”
The men quickly left the tunnel, and the Pittsburgh Press reported that the story was “generally credited” by others at the time.
3. Moonville Tunnel, Ohio
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Moonville, Ohio owes its existence to a rail tunnel that was built as a shortcut for a local landowner to transport coal and clay. The small town’s population peaked at 100 in 1870.
The railway leading to the tunnel was treacherous, with a thin track that ended on a trestle above a narrow canyon. At least five people lost their lives there, the latest in 1986.
The track is now abandoned, except for the ghost of a man who is said to haunt the tunnel. The ghost is said to be a drunk who tried to stop a train with his lantern but was hit and killed.
Another story says that during a harsh winter, Moonville was running low on supplies, and locals sent someone to stand in the tunnel with a lamp to stop a passing train. The person they chose fell asleep and was killed by an oncoming train.
The ghost of the lantern-waving man is said to still haunt the tunnel, trying to flag down passing trains. The story has inspired songs and a novel about the conductor who met his fate there.
2. Sensabaugh Tunnel, Tennessee
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Regarded as one of the most haunted tunnels, Sensabaugh Tunnel located in Tennessee was built in the 1920s as part of a road on land owned by Edward Sensabaugh.
The tunnel is named after him, and he is a central figure in the various legends surrounding the area. One story involves Ed allowing a homeless man into his home as an act of kindness, but the man tries to steal jewelry.
However, Ed confronted the thief with a gun, and the man took Ed’s baby daughter as a shield and ran out of the house. The baby was drowned in the tunnel.
Another version of the story portrays Ed as a deranged man who killed his entire family, including the baby, and threw their bodies into the tunnel. Regardless of how the baby died, it is said to haunt the tunnel today.
According to local legends, if you turn off your car engine in the middle of the tunnel, it won’t turn back on (thanks to the interference of the ghostly baby). Visitors can also hear the baby crying and the footsteps of Ed approaching.
1. Kiyotaki Tunnel, Japan
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The Kiyotaki Tunnel was built in 1927 and has an eerie history of being haunted by the spirits of those who perished during its construction under harsh work conditions, and those who died in the road accident.
Drivers and the public walking through speak of unsettling encounters, voices echoing through the darkness, eerie sensations of an unseen presence, and ghostly apparitions that flicker and fade in the dim light.
The length of the tunnel, 444 meters, adds to its sinister reputation as 4 holds an unfortunate association with bad luck in Japan, just like 13 for Western countries.
There are tales of a woman in white who leaped to her death from the road located above the tunnel entrance, and her restless spirit is still seen wandering around the tunnel.
It is said that ghosts can be seen in this tunnel at night, they can even get in the backseat of your car and scare the living daylights out of you, leading to an accident. Also, the length of the tunnel changes when making a return trip.
However, it is strictly warned to avoid the tunnel at night, as all of the ghost activity occurs at night, and an alternative route is recommended. Clearly, one of the most haunted tunnels in the world.
